Travelers to Peru often make it a point to stop in the city of Puerto Maldonado, considered the main gateway to the Peruvian Amazon. There, they’ll need to decide whether to continue on to Tambopata National Park or Manú Reserve, two tempting destinations famed for their abundant biodiversity.
Most travelers who visit the Peruvian Amazon do so by flying into Puerto Maldonado from Cusco, or by taking the bus along the Interoceanic highway, a 30min flight or a 10hr bus trip. From there, they’ll continue on to Manú National Reserve or Tambopata National Park by motorboat along the Madre de Dios River.
We recommend travelers reserve a day or two to spend in Puerto Maldonado before or after their jungle trip- and here’s our list of how to spend that time:
The Bolivian Amazon is becoming steadily more popular, especially among budget travelers, as it offers the diversity of the Brazilian Amazon at a fraction of the price. Simply put, it’s a more affordable and less crowded way to see the Amazon.
The small town of Rurrenabaque is the gateway to the Bolivian Amazon, acting as a popular base for trips into Madidi National Park. Today we’ll be explaining how to get to Rurrenabaque, what to do while you’re there, and how to choose between the selvas and pampas tours once you’re ready to venture into Madidi…
It’s no secret that the Amazon is an entirely unique environment that can be life-altering for travelers, and the town of Puerto Maldonado happens to be the most popular gateway into the Peruvian Amazon, as it’s close to various national parks and protected areas. For travelers, the two of most interest are Manu National Park and Biosphere Reserve, which boasts the highest bio-diversity in the world, and Tambopata National Park, which is very popular thanks to its parrot and macaw clay licks and Sandoval Lake.
Pirwa’s hostel in Puerto Maldonado is currently offering a variety of promotions for those of you traveling through the low-season. They can’t be combined, so you have to choose one:
